Will I wake up with a breathing tube?
Usually, no. For most general anaesthetics, the breathing tube is placed after you are asleep, and it is taken out before you wake up. In recovery, you may have a sore throat from the tube, but you should not normally wake up with it in place. In some cases, though, people stay on a ventilator after surgery for a few hours, or longer in complex cases, and then the tube is removed later. Verify the exact plan with your surgical or anesthesia team in case they want something different for you.
Sources
- Royal College of Anaesthetists (rcoa.ac.uk) · retrieved 2026-07-17
- Royal College of Anaesthetists (rcoa.ac.uk) · retrieved 2026-07-17
- American Society of Anesthesiologists, Made for This Moment · retrieved 2026-07-16
- Royal College of Anaesthetists (rcoa.ac.uk) · retrieved 2026-07-17
Generated from licensed sources, medically directed by Jack Neil, MD.